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WFP Mauritania Country Brief, April 2018

Attachments

Strategic Planning

  • The first draft of the integrated livelihood strategy for refugees and host communities (developed under WFP-UNHCR co-lead) was shared and discussed with government authorities at capital, and at regional level in April. The focus on improving livelihood opportunities in the region of Hodh Ech-Charghi is key to enable the improvement of self-reliance and resilience of the two communities. The whole-of-UN approach was welcomed by the regional government authorities as an example of bridging the humanitarian-development nexus in Mauritania.

  • WFP Mauritania’s Country Strategic Plan (CSP 2019– 2022) Concept Note was presented to WFP Executive Board and was well received by Board members.

2018 Humanitarian Response Plan

  • In April, WFP was among the first responders to launch the first early lean season distributions in the priority departments in Guidimakha, Gorgol and Hodh Ech-Charghi. WFP pursues its work with partners and CSA to ensure all targeting is completed ahead of the start of the peak of the lean season interventions, and stands ready to position itself in geographical areas where other partners cannot. Among the 538,400 people projected to be in food crisis by the CH, the integrated food/nutrition response plan targets 470,000 people. Of these, WFP foresees to assist 385,000 people (depending on availability of funding).

  • Between June and September (Phase II of Integrated Response Plan), WFP is scaling up the geographical and household targeting to some 221,000 droughtaffected people based on advances, funding received and expected with high probabilities.

Operational Updates

SO 2 – Support to drought affected people

  • The first early-lean season distributions reached 34,500 beneficiaries. Despite some delays due to the overseas transport, the distributions to targeted locations were made possible thanks to good coordination on the field between WFP, Government and financial and cooperating partners.

Households either received (depending on livelihood zones) monthly food rations of cereals and vegetable oil, or monthly cash entitlements of MRU 2,400 (USD 68). While WFP is responding to an emergency, it continues to invest in interventions addressing root causes of food insecurity and malnutrition. Nutritious food was also provided to children aged 6-59 month, pregnant and lactating women for prevention and treatment of malnutrition.

SO 2 – Support to Malian refugees

WFP assisted 54,907 refugees in April with monthly cash entitlements (USD 12.75). No in-kind distributions were provided as part of the mixed cash/in-kind. WFP also provided preventive and curative nutrition support to 524 children aged 6-59 months. The increase in beneficiaries assisted follows the new arrivals, registrations of previously de-activated people, and births (1,844 observed during the month of April) in Mbera camp.

SO 5 - UNHAS

  • In April, UNHAS transported 166 passengers and 0.922 mt of light cargo through 29 in-country rotations. UNHAS flights are still only authorized for the locations of Nema and Bassikounou.